INTRODUCTION Government Stores was created under an Act of Parliament to provide efficient and centralized purchasing and distribution service for Ministries and Provinces. This was in order to maintain a constant supply of various types of goods and services at a more competitive price than those on the open market. The operations of Government Stores are based on the Public Stores Regulation No 13 (1a) part III of Cap 347 of the Laws of Zambia, as passed and enclosed by Parliament of the Republic of Zambia.

MISSION The mission of Government of Stores Department is to procure qualitative goods from manufactures in bulk for the supply to various Ministries, Provinces and Quasi Government Institutions.

GOAL Its goal is to provide an efficient and cost effective centralized purchasing of standardized goods and services at competitive prices to all Government Ministries and Departments.

FUNCTIONS

Buying stores items in bulk from cheaper sources for stocking eventually supply them to Ministries, Provinces ,Departments and Government Institutions at reasonable Prices than obtaining them on the open market.

Marketing of goods to Ministries, Provinces, Departments and Government institutions so that they do not purchase expensive goods from the open market.

Provision of storage facilities for personal effects (Diplomats) and Government property.

Provision of storage sheds to the World Food Programme, World Vision, Care International and Ministry of Finance and National Planning.

Maintaining of the department LOADING and OFF-LOADING BAY used by the Army and other Institutions.

STRATEGIC PLANNING ANALYSIS

Centralized purchasing system provides transparency because catalogues are provided to procure units making it difficult for the units to inflate prices. Procurement units can also purchase from the open market only when they are issued with non- availability of stock certificate. The system eliminates the element of having middle men who arbitrarily inflate prices. The system also provides uniformity of prices because the same catalogues are distributed to Ministries unlike when each unit quotes different prices for the same items.

Centralized purchasing provides reduction in procurement costs arising from bulk buying which attracts quantity discounts resulting into lower prices of stocks. This benefit is passed on to line Ministries, thus reducing their expenditure on goods and services.

Government stores has plenty of storage facilities such as receiving and off loading bays, warehouses and stock yards, under ground and over head tanks and customs clearing which can be used for strategic reserves in times of disaster, shortages and war.

Since the centralized purchasing system provides effective internal controls, this would result into effective use of donor funds thereby attracting their confidence and these monies saved could be channeled to other need areas.

The centralized purchasing system reduces pilfering and misuse of stock items because some items bear security features which makes it difficult for people to pilfer and resale the items on the streets. This is unlike what is happening today with procurement units. This in return results in the efficient use of government resources. Examples of such items include water marked branded table and teaspoons, GRZ marked bed sheets and envelopes.

Currently, many items though paid for in full, remain undelivered and or short supplied in procurement units .Procurement at Government Stores is well established with necessary delivery guarantee for each contract.

The system also enhances effective internal controls if procurement units are made to procure from Government Stores, as per provision of the stores Regulation no 13 (1) part III of cap 347 of the laws of Zambia because family businesses are eliminated which usually contribute to the accumulation of arrears and undelivered items.

The Department has depots in five provinces i.e.Lusaka, Southern, Copperbelt, North-Western and Western, making it easy for Government Ministries and Ouasi Government Institutions found in these provinces to access stocks from these centres.

The Government needs to maintain a Central stores in order to maintain a constant supply of goods and services at a more competitive prices to the Government Ministries, Department and Provinces.

STRATEGIC FUEL STORAGE TANKS

LUSAKA DEPOT Lusaka fuel depot has two by 1.2 million litre cylindrical vertical tanks on site .One of the tanks needs to be cleaned while the one is in good condition. In additional, there are also two 84,000 litre underground tanks on site and two 25,000 litre underground tanks respectively.

OFFLOADING AND LOADING BAYThis facility is present and functioning

MONGU DEPOT The depot has two 1.2 million litres cylindrical vertical tanks overhead on site. one is used for petrol while the other one is for diesel. The depot also has two underground tanks at the Government offices, each with a capacity of 9,000 litres which are utilized to store petrol

KALABOThere are three 25,000 litre underground tanks. The tanks need to be cleaned to avoid fuel contamination and also require checking for the leakages.

CHOMA There are two 1,200,000 litre vertical cylindrical tanks and one 13,500 litre underground tank. They also require checking for the leakages.

SOLWEZIThere are two 1,137,267 litre vertical cylindrical tanks which require checking for leakages.

LIVINGSTONE There are five underground tanks; two 13,633 litres, two 4,546 litres and one 22,500 litres. The tanks need to be cleaned to avoid fuel contaminated and they also require checking for the leakages.